Am I missing the point

mejinks · 15 Jun 2006 at 00:09

Homes are to be given an energy rating much like the white goods you buy today.

What next, a report that tells you how many bricks are in your house?

You can bet your butt that the government will introduce a tax that varies depending on the efficiency of your home.

Sputnik II · 15 Jun 2006 at 00:13

from what I understood watching a bit of the news, you'll have to have your house energy rated if you wish to sell it. Our current government introduces the worst bits of communism everyday.

DRZ · 15 Jun 2006 at 00:13

I can see where you are coming from, but say I got given advice that my home was leaking energy like a cracked culinder then I would know that it is costing me boatloads of money and so I would have an incentive to make changes.

KaHn · 15 Jun 2006 at 00:16

mejinks said:
Homes are to be given an energy rating much like the white goods you buy today.

What next, a report that tells you how many bricks are in your house?

You can bet your butt that the government will introduce a tax that varies depending on the efficiency of your home.

What this is leading to is to the demolition of old victorian houses which last for years, for more efficient user friendly card board boxes which are put up in days.

I think that this will probably end to all houses (owned by the joe public) under a certian efficiency either being taxed as stated, or demolished to make way for cleaner housing.

KaHn

Raumarik · 15 Jun 2006 at 00:16

If I'm right this isn't coming into force in Scotland, hopefully never will. It sounds a bit daft to be honest, great in principle but like said before I can see it being used as some way to bring in a nice little tax or "duty".

mejinks · 15 Jun 2006 at 00:17

DRZ said:
I can see where you are coming from, but say I got given advice that my home was leaking energy like a cracked culinder then I would know that it is costing me boatloads of money and so I would have an incentive to make changes.

Yeah, I agree, but rather than have it enforced on me, I would like a choice of whether I pay for it or not. The choice is pay for it or you can't sell your house isn't it?

Yet another cost to the public where the government can extract yet another shekel.

Sputnik II · 15 Jun 2006 at 00:21

KaHn said:
What this is leading to is to the demolition of old victorian houses which last for years, for more efficient user friendly card board boxes which are put up in days.

I think that this will probably end to all houses (owned by the joe public) under a certian efficiency either being taxed as stated, or demolished to make way for cleaner housing.

KaHn

Sounds just like another heavy tax scam to me. Surely the pollution caused by the demolition and building of new homes would be far worse than that of a house with poor loft insulation or without 'k' glass windows?

KaHn · 15 Jun 2006 at 00:23

Sputnik II said:
Sounds just like another heavy tax scam to me. Surely the pollution caused by the demolition and building of new homes would be far worse than that of a house with poor loft insulation or without 'k' glass windows?

In the long run I dont think so.

KaHn

Vonhelmet · 15 Jun 2006 at 12:54

Not sure what the big deal is, and not sure where people are getting the idea that this will lead to some communist society.

I'd certainly like to know how energy efficient a house is. Not a big fan of heating bills, after all.

Muban · 15 Jun 2006 at 12:55

I wonder how well this has been thought out. Will people get exemptions? I live in a listed building and there are many improvements I am not permitted to make that would make my house more energy efficient. I should not be penalised for something that is beyond my control. (This is assuming they go ahead an levy some sort of tax for this sort of thing at some point - which I don't think is too much of a stretch of the imagination)

Visage · 15 Jun 2006 at 13:03

vonhelmet said:
Not sure what the big deal is, and not sure where people are getting the idea that this will lead to some communist society.

I'd certainly like to know how energy efficient a house is. Not a big fan of heating bills, after all.

I agree. If a house is going to cost me a hell of a lot of money to heat then I'd like to know before hand.

People arent going to proffer this info voluntarily, so why not introduce a statutory requirement?

rpstewart · 15 Jun 2006 at 13:08

Visage said:
I agree. If a house is going to cost me a hell of a lot of money to heat then I'd like to know before hand.

People arent going to proffer this info voluntarily, so why not introduce a statutory requirement?

It's caveat emptor really. You have ample opportunity to examine a property before purchase, both in person and through a survey.

There's no need to introduce legislation for something that is this easily researched by the buyer.

VeNT · 15 Jun 2006 at 13:20

the thing is, even if you pay for the BEST survay you can get, it still is NOT LEGALY BINDING, we had one done on our house and 3 years later it turned out some plonker had stripped out two supporting walls without reinforcing the floor so it had started to sag and would fall down,
the group who did the survey on the house pointed out that although they had said it was sound it didn't ACTUALY cover anything realy and that anything like that would be down to us to check out.

Vonhelmet · 15 Jun 2006 at 13:29

VeNT said:
the thing is, even if you pay for the BEST survay you can get, it still is NOT LEGALY BINDING, we had one done on our house and 3 years later it turned out some plonker had stripped out two supporting walls without reinforcing the floor so it had started to sag and would fall down,
the group who did the survey on the house pointed out that although they had said it was sound it didn't ACTUALY cover anything realy and that anything like that would be down to us to check out.

If I had to guess, I'd say that's probably because there's a world of difference between a "homebuyers survey" and a "structural survey". If you only got the former, then they're really not obliged to look for stuff that's only covered by the latter.

VeNT · 15 Jun 2006 at 13:34

vonhelmet said:
If I had to guess, I'd say that's probably because there's a world of difference between a "homebuyers survey" and a "structural survey". If you only got the former, then they're really not obliged to look for stuff that's only covered by the latter.

iirc we had both as the house is old, they told us about some of the OTHER structural stuff.

DRZ · 15 Jun 2006 at 13:41

When I previously posted, I wasnt aware that it was required before selling up.

In that case, it is of no benefit whatsoever. Its not benefcial to the seller at all but it is at the sellers cost. Thats not on really, it ought to be the buyer doing the research.

I would be more accepting of it if it was to be a general "make your home more efficient" thing.

stoofa · 15 Jun 2006 at 14:24

Sputnik II said:
from what I understood watching a bit of the news, you'll have to have your house energy rated if you wish to sell it. Our current government introduces the worst bits of communism everyday.

After looking at the link and readin the entire thread I'm more confused with how this has anything to do with communism.

nin9abadga · 15 Jun 2006 at 14:31

KaHn said:
What this is leading to is to the demolition of old victorian houses which last for years, for more efficient user friendly card board boxes which are put up in days.
KaHn

this is the worst part i reckon, some of the beautiful old properties with real character are either being knocked down and replaced by rubbish house or converted into flats. seems like a waste to me.

nin9a

Morba · 15 Jun 2006 at 14:32

if it was to be part of the home sellers pack that meant to be coming soon then im all for it.

however, i would rather see a sellers pack with the relevent standard searches etc completed and rolled out before this efficiency grade is rolled out.

[DOD]Asprilla · 15 Jun 2006 at 14:37

I's an additional cost to selling your home, nothing more, and it's one that will probably be added to the selling price by the vendor anyway.

As I understand it the documentation will also include recommendation for improving the rating, although this is something that some homebuyers reports include already.

When I bought my house they surveyor included insulation details and pointed out areas where improvements could be made.